Yoenis Cespedes, the latest Cuban defector to make good in the big leagues, is considered a better player than Aledmis Diaz and Dariel Alvarez. / Denis Poroy, AP

by Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY Sports

by Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY Sports

The roaring big-league success of Aroldis Chapman, Yoenis Cespedes and Alexei Ramirez has heightened expectations for the latest round of Cuban defectors. Outfielder Yasiel Puig signed a seven-year, $42 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in June. And two players recently declared free agents are about to trigger a bidding war.

Infielder Aledmis Diaz and outfielder Dariel Alvarez established legal residence in Mexico after defecting. Agent Jaime Torres, who represents both, said they've drawn considerable interest and could sign by the end of this month.

Talks for Alvarez's services are further along because he's free to sign, and Torres expects Diaz to become eligible to sign when he turns 23 on Tuesday. Cuban players age 23 or older and with at least three seasons of experience in the island's league don't fall under the monetary limits for international signings established by the new MLB collective bargaining agreement.

Neither Diaz nor Alvarez figures to command anywhere near the contract signed by Puig, also represented by Torres. But the agent is particularly optimistic about Diaz's prospects because he plays a premium position and has power potential.

"Things have gotten very interesting in Diaz's case,'' Torres said. "I've had several conversations with teams saying, 'Don't close out a deal without checking back with us.' That gives you an idea of the interest level.''

In his fifth and final season in the 90-game Cuban league, the 6-foot-1 Diaz batted .315 for Villa Clara â?? ranking 37th in the hitter-friendly circuit â?? with 12 homers and a .404 slugging percentage. Diaz played shortstop for Villa Clara but second base for the national team until defecting during a tournament in The Netherlands in July.

Diaz's value may be boosted by the lack of quality free agent shortstops on the market, especially after Stephen Drew signed with the Boston Red Sox.

"I believe if he can get to spring training with enough time to make the psychological and cultural adjustment . . . he could open the season at shortstop for a major league team,'' Torres said.

Peter Bjarkman, the author of books about Cuban baseball, said conversations with scouts confirmed his own impressions of Diaz as a heady player without great physical skills.

"He's certainly no Alexei Ramirez as far as range, glove or arm,'' Bjarkman said, referring to the Chicago White Sox shortstop and Cuba native. "He's nowhere near in the same category. He's a good, solid player who doesn't make a lot of mistakes, but he doesn't have any overwhelming tools."

Alvarez, 24, played in six Cuban league seasons. He enjoyed a breakthrough year when he batted .363 in 2010-11 but dropped off markedly afterward and averaged less than eight homers a season. His most impressive skill is his arm, and Torres said some teams may consider Alvarez as a pitcher, especially since he did some relief work in his first three seasons.

Bjarkman cautions against rising expectations on the heels of the terrific debut season by Cespedes with the Oakland A's.

Bjarkman said Diaz and Alvarez don't rank in the same category as prospects as Texas Rangers outfielder Leonys Martin, who has yet to establish himself with the big club after signing for five years and $15.5 million in May 2011.

"You're not looking at somebody who is going to be an impact player in the major leagues like Cespedes was,'' Bjarkman said. "What you're looking at are a couple of guys who might possibly make it to that level if everything goes right."